Russians reveal laws they want most

By Artyom Liss
bbcrussian.com

As Russia's newly-elected parliament prepares for its first sitting, bbcrussian.com has been asking readers what law they would most like to see passed.

The replies point to widespread mistrust of both parliamentarians and the whole political system.

The most popular idea is for a law that would make parliamentary deputies "do their jobs properly - or else".

A free Boeing-747 should be allocated to each deputy E-mailer S.O.V.O.K.

Igor from Russia wrote in to suggest that ordinary people should award each deputy a score between 1 and 10.

Politicians who score less than 5 at the end of their four years in office would then face another four years behind bars.

And Anna from Moscow thinks that the new deputies should start by abolishing their own immunity against criminal prosecution.

No more laws!

Many people think that the best laws have no chance of coming into existence in Russia, because of corruption and bureaucracy.

E-mailer 'S.O.V.O.K' [slang for Soviet man] suggests, ironically, that the best laws are those which just legalise existing customs and traditions.

"So I think that we need a law to make the position of President hereditary," he writes.

"Also, a free Boeing-747 should be allocated to each deputy, and we should also set a cap on bribes - it's time we finally made those below-the-table payments official!"

On a slightly more serious note, Yana from Russia wants a total ban on new laws.

The reason? "To give deputies more times to make sure that existing legislation works!"

Vodka ban?

Of the minority who still hope to see the new parliament changing Russia for the better, most suggest:

• a tax increase for oil companies, and lower taxes for the rest of industry
• military reform, replacing conscripts with paid professionals,
• a financial incentive for those who want to have more children,
• legalisation of marijuana and a ban on vodka.

Banning vodka is, of course, a non-starter, but some of these ideas are already floating around in the corridors of the new Duma.

Taxing oil producers into the ground seems to be particularly popular with the newly-elected parliamentarians, and the reform of the military has been on the minds of many Russian politicians for the past few years.

So at least part of what has been suggested during the bbcrussian.com interactive brainstorm seems to have a chance of becoming reality. Whether it will change life in Russia for the better, is open to debate.